The present invention relates to improvements in swimming flipper design and performance for wearers to gain improved propulsion when swimming or performing other water based activities with the flippers. Flippers are commonly used to provide additional propulsion for the wearer and are widely used in swimming, scuba diving, body surfing, body boarding, surf rescue and swimming training.
An important factor in successful body surfing or body boarding in the ocean when riding the hollow or curved surface of a wave is the ability to maintain traction on this part of the wave wall and enable the body surfer or body boarder to maintain their position in this important buoyancy or “sweet spot” section of the wave. This important section of the wave buoys, balances and propels the body surfer or body boarder forward without the wave “breaking” on top of them or allowing them to be thrown out through the curl of the wave. The thrust, propulsion and directional movement provided by flippers as extensions of the wearer's feet enables the body surfer or body boarder to accurately control and manage their position in relation to the wave wall and therefore stay within this important section of the wave so as to “ride” the wave.
Traditional flippers are usually substantially flat rubber flaps which extend from a shoe portion to amplify the kicking effect of the wearer by increasing the area of water displaced by each kick of their feet. However, this kicking affect is reduced by the escape of the displaced water moving unobstructed over each edge of the flipper surface during the upward and downward movement thereof. Also, the control of directional movement required in body surfing and body boarding applications is limited by only two control “edges” being provided on either side of each flipper. Further, flippers without rails when moving through water have varying amounts of water flow around them that becomes disrupted as it flows over the flipper's surfaces due to the varying terrain of the flipper's surface, which typically results in eddies being formed that push water back towards to flipper causing varying amounts of water drag around the flipper.
It is an object of the present invention to increase the functional effectiveness of traditional flippers by reducing water displacement losses, reducing water drag, improving directional movement control by providing an increased number of control surfaces such as “edges”, “ridges” and “rails” to each flipper, increasing water traction, increasing thrust and hence wearer's speed during upward and downward movement of each flipper.